What The Papers Say – 9 April

The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

A selection of Thursday’s publications pick up on a BBC Sport feature which lists Carlo Ancelotti as one of the top-10 managers of the Premier League era.

Contributor and former England and Blackburn Rovers striker Alan Shearer claims Everton pulled off a notable coup in landing Italian Ancelotti as boss.

“I think in terms of how lucky Everton are to have someone of that ability and his standing in the game… that tells you what was said to him to entice him into the football club,” said Shearer.

Another story covered across every daily in England is that of Premier League footballers uniting to form the #PlayersTogether movement.

The collective initiative, launched in alliance with NHS Charities Together [NHSCT] aims to ‘help those fighting for us on the NHS frontline’.

A statement released by the group on Wednesday night read: “It is about we, as players, collaborating together to create a voluntary initiative, separate to any other league and club conversation… to try to help, along with so many others in the country, to make a real difference.”

Spanish outlet Sport claims Everton would ‘welcome’ the opportunity to strike a loan arrangement for Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho.

Brazilian Coutinho is spending this campaign with Bayern Munich and the report suggests Barca would be willing to sell the 27-year-old, with Chelsea a potential destination.

It is said, however, that the Blues and Premier League counterparts Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur would like to borrow the player for next term.

There is a report on Football Insider linking Everton with a move for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish.

The Englishman has been serially touted for a move to Manchester United after a series of fabulous performances following Villa’s return to the Premier League this season.

Football Insider nevertheless insists Everton hold a “strong” interest in Grealish and will bid to tempt him to Goodison Park by airing the prospect of “elite manager” Ancelotti “building a team around his matchwinning talents”.

Another player reportedly on Everton’s transfer wishlist is centre-half Christian Luyindama.

DR Congo international Luyindama joined Galatasaray from Standard Liege in Belgium at the start of last year.

And Turkish publication Fanatik reckons the defender’s performance in Istanbul have alerted Ancelotti, with Everton apparently wanting to add to their central-defensive stocks.

Calciomercato in Italy reckons Roma want Everton striker Moise Kean to challenge first-choice frontman Eden Dzeko.

Italy international Kean, 20, moved to Goodison Park from Juventus last summer.